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A mere two months in the past that the young forward stood on the Stadium of Light pitch, appearing bewildered as Unai Emery scolded him for failing to anticipate a penetrating pass. At that point, with the team went six without a win, doubts remained if his displays were a sign or the source of the team's more general malaise.

“As Rogers swept in his second… Emery ripped off his thick padded coat, spread his arms and roared.”

This weekend, in contrast, the manager's outburst was far more favourable. After the England international swept in his brace-sealing goal to restore the lead for Villa, Emery discarded his winter coat, spread his arms and bellowed. The Birmingham club continued to ten wins in a row and after failing to win their opening six fixtures, now sit only three points adrift of pace-setters Arsenal.

Are They Legitimate Title Contenders?

It remains a particularly tough question to answer. Past precedent, the traditional standing of the club, indicates otherwise. Furthermore, they've rarely been wholly dominant during this run, while the wins have stacked up.

As per Opta, on just two occasions has the side had an xG more than 0.5 greater than the opposition. For a club that have strung together ten consecutive victories, Villa seem curiously susceptible – but right now the margins are going in their favour.

The Reliant Strategy

The prevailing tactic seems to be to exchange chances with an opponent before hoping Rogers to rescue them with a couple of crisp finishes. This occurred at Leeds, it occurred at West Ham, and once more when facing the Red Devils.

The initial strike came from an exquisite effort, bent right inside the post from the edge of the area. For his second acted as a somewhat messier replica of goal number one capitalizing on an Ollie Watkins lay-off.

“Perhaps Rogers’ right foot is becoming like Arjen Robben’s left: just because you know he’s going to whip the ball into the top corner doesn’t mean you can stop him.”

Can It Last?

Reason suggests otherwise. In the recent win, the opposition had more efforts and more efforts on goal. They have triumphed in eight consecutive games by just one goal. They have allowed goals in nearly all of those fixtures.

Regression to the mean may well be the most significant challenge Villa have to face in the near future. The forward, in all likelihood, cannot keep on thrashing the ball past despairing goalkeepers forever.

Reasons for Optimism

Perhaps there is a different scenario in which, instead of results trending towards performances, performances begin to trend towards results. Vital cogs might still find their top level.

• The main striker could start scoring again.
• The attacking talent may rediscover the performer he resembled at Borussia Dortmund.
• The injured centre-backs are set to return from injury, fortifying a sometimes shaky defence.

Maybe within that lies the potential for a sustained push, but they surely can continue to depend solely on one man.

Savoring the Moment

But then, this is a surprise. Nobody thought the team would be in a Champions League place in December. And without a doubt earlier this season, no one envisioned Rogers by the end of the year would be at the forefront of a hunt for the title while looking like a crucial player for the national team.

This winning streak must be cherished exactly since it seems so surreal. As the match-winner positioned himself before the Villa faithful after the match orchestrating the applause, it was clear to be thoroughly enjoying it. Which he fully merits. These spells are rare in football and must be appreciated.